Where To Eat, Drink & Visit In Notting Hill

WHERE TO EAT & DRINK:

108 Garage

Located on Golborne Road, 108 Garage offers a seasonal dining experience by an award-winning team. The relaxed restaurant has fast become a must-visit for fresh, local produce and innovative cooking. The kitchen, led by executive chef Chris Denney, takes the best of England and Europe’s produce to create a seasonal, ever-changing menu. Current hits include fallow deer with salsify, lardo and gorgonzola followed by rhubarb, camel milk and marjoram.

108 Golborne Road, W10 5PS

Visit 108Garage.com

Pomona’s

A hidden sun trap in Notting Hill, Pomona’s features a summer terrace, complete with a dedicated gin and oyster bar. Guests can enjoy a plate of Maldon oysters, freshly sourced from Goldhanger Creek and River Blackwater in Essex, and settle down under a canopy of wisteria with one of the bar’s gin specials: classics include south sides (gin-based mojitos), negronis and Pomona’s take on the G&T; made with elderflower tonic, strawberry and black pepper.

47 Hereford Road, W2 5AH

Visit Pomonas.co.uk

Granger & Co

Transport your taste buds to sunnier climes with Bill Granger’s selection of hearty-yet-healthy Australian-inspired classics. Guests can tuck into small plates such as roast carrots with peanut, miso and chilli crumb; tuna tartare with kimchi and a sesame crisp; and crab toast with cucumber, coriander and lime; followed by seared salmon with mirin nori sauce, tiger salad and chilli oil; and shrimp burger with jalapeño mayo, shaved radish salad and sesame gochujang.

75 Westbourne Grove, W11 2SB

Visit GrangerAndCo.com

The Ledbury

With a focus on classic British ingredients, standout dishes on Brett Graham’s two-Michelin-starred menu include white beetroot baked in clay served with smoked eel, sake cream and char roe; native lobster wrapped in shiitake with peas and lemon; and purple aubergine with olives and sunflower seeds. Voted number 64 in this year’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants, The Ledbury is the epitome of fine dining, but in the coolest of settings – the restaurant is housed inside a former pub, giving it a distinctly relaxed, laid-back vibe.

127 Ledbury Road, W11 2AQ

Visit TheLedbury.com

Six Portland Road

This intimate neighbourhood restaurant is owned by Oli Barker, previously of Terroirs. The menu changes frequently and has a strong French accent, plus there’s a decent selection of natural wines. At lunchtimes during the week, the team offers a well-priced set menu at £21 for three courses and £19 for two courses. In the evening, the à la carte menu features the likes of caponata, burrata, focaccia and rocket; mussels, leeks and nduja; and plaice, pernod butter and sea aster.

6 Portland Road, W11 4LA

Visit SixPortlandRoad.com

Farmacy

Farmacy was launched by Camilla Fayed in early 2016. Farmacy’s mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle through plant-based, organic eating, and as such their food is entirely vegan. Offering a vast menu spanning breakfast, brunch, dinner and high tea (not to mention a drinks menu where you’re spoilt for choice on health juices), there’s something there for everyone, from syringe shot starters, creamy mac ‘n’ ‘cheese’ and oh-so-filling ‘earth bowls’. Sweet treats include chocolate chip waffles, made with oats, sunwarrior protein and chia seeds served with banana, homemade Nutella and coconut ‘yoghurt’.

74 Westbourne Grove, W2 5SH

Visit FarmacyLondon.com

Andina Notting Hill

Located on Westbourne Grove, this 40-cover restaurant focuses on food traditionally served at roadside restaurants in the Andes. As you’d expect from the team behind Ceviche, it’s the more unusual dishes that are worth seeking out; the carrot fritters, which sound unassuming enough, really pack a punch; while prawn croquettes deliver an earthy hit of flavour. From the ‘Big Plates’ section of the menu, we’d recommend the panca steak with spiced potato puree and the grilled octopus, which melted beneath the knife. Whatever you do, don’t leave without sampling one of the team’s pisco sours.

157 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RS

Visit AndinaLondon.com

Caractère

The first solo restaurant from Michel Roux Jr’s daughter Emily Roux and her husband Diego Ferrari, Caractère is a newly opened neighbourhood spot in Notting Hill. When it comes to food, expect an Italian/Franco menu: dishes include the likes of seared ox tail ravioli, beef consommé, bone marrow and fresh herbs; seared mackerel, confit beetroot, black cardamom and parsley condiment; and celeriac ‘cacio e pepe’ with extra-aged balsamic vinegar.

209 Westbourne Park Road, W11 1EA

Visit CaractereRestaurant.com

Core by Clare Smyth

Clare Smyth, the chef who catered for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding, previously won three stars for Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. Now Smyth has two stars of her own at Core, her first solo venture which opened in Notting Hill in 2017. Smyth served pork belly and wagyu beef burgers at the royal wedding in May, with guests such as Serena Williams and Sir Elton John later enjoying candy floss as a ‘midnight snack’. Here, Smyth serves up informal fine dining with an emphasis on natural, sustainable food, sourced from the UK’s most dedicated farmers and food producers. Since opening in August 2017, Core has received numerous awards including 10/10 in the Good Food Guide and five AA rosettes.

92 Kensington Park Road, W11 2PN

Visit CoreByClareSmyth.com

Eggslut

Already one of the most popular casual dining destinations in California, Eggslut has thrown open the doors at a prime spot on Portobello Road. This first UK site serves Eggslut’s fresh made-to-order eggs using the highest-quality locally-sourced ingredients, such as Clarence Court eggs and Bread Ahead dough. We like the sound of ‘The Fairfax’ (a sandwich made from soft scrambled eggs and cheese, served in a brioche bun) and ‘The Slut’ (a poached egg on top of a smooth potato puree, poached in a glass jar and served with baguette slices).

185 Portobello Road, W11 2ED

Visit Eggslut.com

Farm Girl Café

Bringing a slice of Melbourne to London, Farm Girl’s all-day eatery serves up healthy fare including superfood smoothies, porridge made from millet flakes, chia seeds, coconut, avocado and omega mix, and the ‘Farm Girl BLT’ – all of which harness the best of nutritious, local goods. We like to kick things off with one of the team’s extensive selection of coffees (anyone for a ‘Liquid Gold Latte’?) and a fresh watermelon juice, before choosing between the likes of turmeric birchers (oats soaked with turmeric, honey, cinnamon, sesame seeds and almond milk topped with candied nuts and strawberries) or buckwheat pancakes with amber maple syrup, topped with mixed berries and coconut shavings.

59A Portobello Road, W11 3DB

Visit TheFarmGirl.co.uk

The KPH

This month saw the re-opening of Ladbroke Grove pub, The KPH (formerly the Kensington Park Hotel), which has been extensively restored following its closure in 2017. Reopening as a pub with a first-floor dining room, The KPH has been reinvigorated with menus from group chef-director Henry Harris, who has appointed rising star Ruairidh Summers (previously of St John) as head chef. The drink offering is as considered as the food, featuring 12 draft beers and three cask ales, as well as old and new world wines and simple classic cocktails.

139 Ladbroke Grove, W10 6HJ

Visit TheKPH.co.uk

Casa Cruz

A haunt of David and Victoria Beckham (who hosted her OBE party here), Bay Garnett, Natalie Massenet, Anya Hindmarch and Prince Harry, Casa Cruz opened in residential Notting Hill in 2015. Following the success of its original site in Buenos Aires, Casa Cruz serves up Argentinian fare (all cooked over a Josper grill) in clubby, glamourous surroundings – accessed via giant copper doors. The tree-lined rooftop cigar terrace is the best spot to get a glimpse of Beckham and co. 

123a Clarendon Road, W11 4JG

CasaCruz.London

Daylesford

This foodie hotspot is Notting Hill’s posh take on a rustic farm shop. One of the best farm shops for sustainability, the Daylesford team has its own abattoir and an award-winning cheesemonger. Here, you can stock up on everything from bircher muesli and cold-pressed juices to fresh pastries, artisan cheeses or enjoy a farmhouse fry-up.

208-212 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RH

Visit Daylesford.com

Gold

This new neighbourhood restaurant and late-night bar opened on the site of the renowned Portobello Gold pub. The modern European spot focuses on produce-led sharing plates and minimal-process cooking in wood ovens or over open flame – think nettle ravioli with sheep’s ricotta and sorrel followed by wood-roasted whole sea bream with wild oregano and capers. Modern bohemian interiors make use of the original shell of the building for an edgy look, while contemporary furniture, aged metals and indoor trees soften the space to create a warm environment. With a retractable roof and landscaped with mature trees, the garden room offers an atmospheric spot for dinner while the second floor is taken up by a private party room.

95-97 Portobello Road, W11 2QB

Visit GoldNottingHill.com

GinTonica

GinTonica is located on the second floor of The Distillery. Here the team has curated a list of 100 gins from around the world and matched them with complementary mixers and garnishes allowing the character of each to flourish. Alongside this sits a collection of simple, flavourful cocktails with a Spanish twist, created by resident cocktail guru Matthew Coates, using traditional ingredients, flavours and methods from the region. The tapas is great too.

186 Portobello Road, W11 1LA

Visit The-Distillery.London

Trailer Happiness

Expect wall-to-wall kitsch in this basement tiki bar, both in terms of its retro interior and its 60s playlist. Cocktails are, naturally, as vintage and ‘tiki’ as they come, with showstoppers on the menu including ‘Trailer Colada’ – rum with coconut tequila and fresh pineapple roasted in molasses; and ‘Voodoo Grog’ – a tribute to Don the Beachcomber, the father of tiki, with Bacardi Carta Oro, overproof rum, grapefruit, allspice and absinthe. Great for a night out.

177 Portobello Road, W11 2DY

Visit TrailerHappiness.com

WHERE TO STAY:

The Laslett

The Laslett – named after the original founder of Notting Hill Carnival – captures the cultural essence and grit of Notting Hill, with a sprinkling of west London style. Converted from five former Victorian terraced houses, The Laslett’s stylish digs are both elegant and eclectic, with plush, modern interiors contrasted by hordes of curious antiques sourced from nearby Portobello Road. Hole up in the swanky cocktail bar before turning in for a decent night’s sleep in one of their cosy rooms. Staying during the week? Head down to the hotel’s ‘Turntable Tuesday’ sessions, where guests will learn to spin their own choice of records from home or selected from the hotel’s covetable in-house vinyl library.

8 Pembridge Gardens, W2 4DU

Visit Living-Rooms.co.uk

The Distillery

A haven for gin lovers, this towering, four-storey gin palace serves an eclectic range of one-of-a-kind gin blends and quirky spirits – think avocado and olive oil vodka – with many dispensed directly from hand-built barrels suspended above the main bar. For the undiluted gin experience, book in for gin making at the Ginstitute, followed by a stay in the one of The Distillery’s themed guest rooms.

186 Portobello Road, W11 1LA

Visit TheDistillery.london

WHAT TO SEE & DO:

Notting Hill Arts Club

This late-night dance spot plays everything from hip-hop and reggae to house and punk, as well as hosting live indie bands and DJs, who spin the decks till late. A favourite of Mark Ronson’s, guests can grab a cocktail from the circular basement bar and mingle with the cool set. 

21 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3JQ

Visit NottingHillArtsClub.com

Museum of Brands

This new-ish museum is nostalgia central, filled with packs, posters, ads, fads, fashions, toys and games. Featuring over 12,000 original items, visitors will discover how well-loved brands evolved through their creative use of packaging and advertising, and how we evolved with them. The history of consumer culture is revealed decade by decade in the Time Tunnel, from the Victorian era to today. A great spot for kids.

111-117 Lancaster Road, W11 1QT

Visit MuseumOfBrands.com

Portabello Road Market

Every Saturday, Portobello Road is laden with everything from retro furniture to vintage jewellery and antique artwork. There are shops open every day of the week, but the party gets into full swing at the weekend, when the entire market sets up camp with food stalls, live music and crowds spilling out onto the streets outside almost every pub in the area.

Portobello Road, W11

Visit PortobelloRoad.co.uk

The Gate Theatre

The Gate Theatre is located above the Prince Albert pub on Notting Hill Gate. With 75 seats, it’s the smallest ‘off-West End’ theatre in the city. Founded in 1979 to present ground-breaking international plays to a London audience, today the Gate exists to create international theatre that asks essential questions about ourselves, each other and the world. Our space transforms with every production – no two visits are ever the same.

11 Pembridge Road, W11 3HQ

Visit GateTheatre.co.uk

Electric Cinema

With a history dating back to the 1900s, the Electric in Portobello is the epitome of luxury film watching. You’ll find no hard seats festooned with fizzy drink stains or popcorn crumbs here – instead choose between a plush leather armchair (complete with footstool), back row sofa seats or a comfortable front row bed. If that’s not sufficient, there are cashmere blankets in case you get chilly. Both mainstream and independent films show here, plus cult classics, making it the ideal place to visit whatever your taste.

191 Portobello Road, W11 2ED

Visit ElectricCinema.co.uk

The Coronet Theatre

The team behind The Print Room has spent the last four years restoring this Notting Hill playhouse, returning the building to its original 1898 name, The Coronet Theatre. With a rich heritage, an intimate auditorium and one of London’s most unusual theatre bars, this local playhouse is well worth a visit.

103 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3LB

Visit TheCoronetTheatre.co